List of the prehistoric life of West Virginia facts for kids

This list of the prehistoric life of West Virginia contains the various prehistoric life-forms whose fossilized remains have been reported from within the US state of West Virginia.

Precambrian

The Paleobiology Database records no known occurrences of Precambrian fossils in West Virginia.

Paleozoic

Selected Paleozoic taxa of West Virginia

• 

  Fossilized fronds of the Carboniferous-Early Cretaceous seed fern Alethopteris
  †Alethopteris
  • †Alethopteris decurrens
  • †Alethopteris gigas
  • †Alethopteris grandini
  • †Alethopteris parva
  • †Alethopteris serlii
  • †Alethopteris sternberg
  • †Alethopteris virginiana
• †Aneurophyton – or unidentified related form
• †Annularia
  • †Annularia asteris
  • †Annularia galoides
  • †Annularia mucronata
  • †Annularia radiata
  • †Annularia sphenophylloides
  • †Annularia stellata
• 

  Restoration of the Late Devonian-Carboniferous tree Archaeopteris with insets detailing its anatomy
  †Archaeopteris
  • †Archaeopteris halliana
  • †Archaeopteris hibernica
  • †Archaeopteris macilenta
  • †Archaeopteris obusa
  • †Archaeopteris sphenophyllifolia
• †Artisia
• †Athyris
• †Atrypa
  • †Atrypa reticularis – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
• †Aulopora
• †Aviculopecten
  • †Aviculopecten batesvillensis
  • †Aviculopecten crenistriatus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Baiera
• †Barinophyton
• †Bassipterus
• †Calamites
  • †Calamites cistii
  • †Calamites suckowi
  • †Calamites suckowii
• 

  Fossilized fronds of the Carboniferous seed fern Callipteridium
  †Callipteridium
  • †Callipteridium dawsonianum
  • †Callipteridium grandifolium
  • †Callipteridium oblongifolium
  • †Callipteridium odontopteroides
  • †Callipteridium unitum
• †Callipteris
  • †Callipteris conferta
  • †Callipteris currettiensis
  • †Callipteris diabolica
  • †Callipteris lyratifolia
• †Callixylon
  • †Callixylon erianum
• †Calymene
  • †Calymene camerata
  • †Calymene cresapensis
  • 

    Fossils in enrolled posture of the Silurian trilobite Calymene niagarensis
    †Calymene niagarensis
• †Camarotoechia
  • †Camarotoechia andrewsi
  • †Camarotoechia limitare
  • †Camarotoechia litchfieldensis
  • †Camarotoechia tonolowayensis
• †Cardiocarpus
• †Carniodus
• †Chonetes
  • †Chonetes novascoticus
• †Cordaites
  • †Cordaites principalis
• †Cornulites
• †Crassigyrinus
• †Cyclopteris
• †Dalmanites
  • †Dalmanites limulurus
• †Diploceraspis
  • †Diploceraspis burkei
• †Distomodus
• †Drepanopterus
• 

  Life restoration of the Permian synapsid (mammal precursor) Edaphosaurus
  †Edaphosaurus
  • †Edaphosaurus colohistion – type locality for species
• †Edmondia
• †Eucalyptocrinites
• †Eurypterus
• †Favosites
• †Greererpeton
  • †Greererpeton burkemorani
• †Gyracanthus
• †Holopea
• †Hughmilleria
• 

  Restoration of the Carboniferous-Late Triassic club moss relative Lepidodendron. Eli Heimans (1911).
  †Lepidodendron
  • †Lepidodendron aculeatum
  • †Lepidodendron dichotomum
  • †Lepidodendron obovatum
• †Limnopus
  • †Limnopus glenshawensis
• †Lingula
• †Lithostrotion
• †Lyginopteris
  • †Lyginopteris bermudensiformis
  • †Lyginopteris fragilis
  • †Lyginopteris hoeninghausi
• †Modiolus
• †Mucrospirifer
  • †Mucrospirifer mucronatus
• †Murchisonia
• 

  Fronds of the Carboniferous seed fern Neuropteris
  †Neuropteris
  • †Neuropteris auriculata
  • †Neuropteris cordata
  • †Neuropteris fimbriata
  • †Neuropteris flexuosa
  • †Neuropteris gigantea
  • †Neuropteris heterophylla
  • †Neuropteris hirsuta
  • †Neuropteris loschii
  • †Neuropteris odontopteroides
  • †Neuropteris ovata
  • †Neuropteris scheuchzeri
  • †Neuropteris sternberg
• 

  Life restoration of the Middle-Late Devonian lobe-finned fish Onychodus
  †Onychodus
• †Orthacanthus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Orthoceras – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
• †Parahughmilleria
• †Pecopteris
  • †Pecopteris arborescens
  • †Pecopteris elliptica
  • †Pecopteris feminaeformis
  • †Pecopteris hemitelioides
  • †Pecopteris hemiteloides
  • †Pecopteris pennaeformis – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Pecopteris unita
• †Periechocrinus
• †Petalodus
• †Phacops
  • †Phacops cristata
• †Pinna
• †Platyceras
  • †Platyceras gebharti
  • †Platyceras magnificum
• †Proterogyrinus
  • †Proterogyrinus scheelei
• 

  Life restoration of the Permian reptile Protorothyris
  †Protorothyris – type locality for genus
  • †Protorothyris morani – type locality for species
• †Rhodea
• †Sagenodus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Sigillaria
  • †Sigillaria approximata
  • †Sigillaria brardii
• †Solenomorpha
• †Sphenophyllum
  • †Sphenophyllum angustifolium
  • †Sphenophyllum cornutum
  • †Sphenophyllum cuneifolium
  • †Sphenophyllum emarginatum
  • †Sphenophyllum majus
  • †Sphenophyllum oblongifolia
  • †Sphenophyllum subtenerrimmum
  • †Sphenophyllum tenuifolium
• †Sphenopteris
  • †Sphenopteris coriacea
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Late Ordovician-Late Triassic brachiopod Spirifer
  †Spirifer – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
  • †Spirifer corallinensis
  • †Spirifer keyserensis
  • †Spirifer mackenzicus
  • †Spirifer vanuxemi
• †Stigmaria
• †Tentaculites
• †Tetracystis
• †Tetrameroceras
• †Trimerus
• †Waeringopterus
• †Wilkingia
• †Wurmiella
  • †Wurmiella excavata
• 

  Life restoration of the Permian amphibian Zatrachys
  †Zatrachys

Mesozoic

The Paleobiology Database records no known occurrences of Mesozoic fossils in West Virginia.

Cenozoic

• Agkistrodon
  • 

    A living Agkistrodon contortrix, or copperhead
    †Agkistrodon contortrix
• †Allophaiomys
  • †Allophaiomys pliocaenicus
• †Ambystoma
  • †Ambystoma jeffersonianum
  • †Ambystoma maculatum
  • †Ambystoma tigrinum
• †Atopomys
  • †Atopomys texensis
• Blarina
  • †Blarina bravicauda
  • 

    A living Blarina brevicauda, or northern short-tailed shrew
    †Blarina brevicauda
  • †Blarina brevicuda
• †Blarine
  • †Blarine brevicauda
• †Bootherium
  • †Bootherium bombifrons
• †Brachyprotoma
  • †Brachyprotoma obtusata
• Bufo
  • †Bufo americanus
  • †Bufo woodhousei
• Canis
  • 

    Modern mounted skeleton of Canis lupus, the grey wolf, to scale with a fossilized skeleton of the Pleistocene wolf Canis dirus, or dire wolf
    †Canis dirus
  • †Canis latrans
• Carphophis
  • †Carphophis amoenus
• Castor
  • †Castor canadensis
• †Cenis
  • †Cenis latrans
• Cervus
  • †Cervus elaphus
• Clethrionomys
  • †Clethrionomys gapperi
• Coluber
  • 

    A living Coluber constrictor, or eastern racer
    †Coluber constrictor
• Condylura
  • †Condylura cristata
  • †Condylura crystata
• Crotalus
  • †Crotalus horridus
• Cryptobranchus
  • †Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
  • †Cryptobranchus guildayi
• Cryptotis
  • †Cryptotis parva
  • †Cryptotis pava
• 

  A living Desmodus, or vampire bat
  Desmodus
  • †Desmodus stocki
• Desmognathus
  • †Desmognathus fuscus
  • †Desmognathus monticola
  • †Desmognathus ochrophaeus
• Dicrostonyx
  • †Dicrostonyx hudsonius
• †Dipoides
• †Ectopistes
  • 

    Taxidermied male Ectopistes migratorius, or passenger pigeon
    †Ectopistes migratorius
• Elaphe
  • †Elaphe vulpina
• Eptesicus
  • †Eptesicus fuscus
• Equus
• Erethizon
  • †Erethizon dorsatum
• Eumeces
  • †Eumeces fasciatus
  • †Eumeces laticeps
• Eutamias
  • †Eutamias minimus – or unidentified comparable form
• Geomys
  • †Geomys bursarius – or unidentified comparable form
• Glaucomys
  • †Glaucomys sabrinus
• Gyrinophilus
  • 

    A living Gyrinophilus porphyriticus, or Spring salamander
    †Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
• Heterodon
  • †Heterodon platyrhinos
• Hyla
  • †Hyla chrysoscelis
  • †Hyla crucifer
• Ictalurus
• Lampropeltis
  • †Lampropeltis triangulum
• Lasiopodomys
  • †Lasiopodomys deceitensis
• Lasiurus
  • †Lasiurus borealis
• Lepus
  • 

    A living Lepus americanus, or snowshoe hare
    †Lepus americanus
• Lynx
  • †Lynx rufus
• †Mammut
  • †Mammut americanum
• †Mammuthus
• Marmota
  • †Marmota monax
• †Megalonyx
  • 

    Claws of M. jeffersonii
    †Megalonyx jeffersonii
  • †Megalonyx jerrersonii – or unidentified comparable form
• Mephitis
  • †Mephitis mephitis
• Microtus
  • †Microtus chrotorrhinus
  • †Microtus hibbardi
  • †Microtus llanensis
  • †Microtus ochrogaster – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Microtus paroperarius
  • †Microtus pennsylvanicus
  • †Microtus pinetorum
  • †Microtus xanthognathus
• Mictomys
  • †Mictomys borealis
• †Mimomys
  • †Mimomys virginianus
• 

  Restoration of the Pliocene-Pleistocene Miracinonyx, or American cheetah
  †Miracinonyx
  • †Miracinonyx inexpectatus
• Mustela
  • †Mustela americana
  • †Mustela armines
  • †Mustela fenata – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Mustela frenata – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Mustela nivalis
  • †Mustela vison
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Holocene peccary Mylohyus
  †Mylohyus
  • †Mylohyus fossilis
• Myotis
  • †Myotis grisescens – tentative report
  • †Myotis keeni
  • †Myotis keenii
  • †Myotis leibi
  • †Myotis leibii
• Napaeozapus
  • †Napaeozapus insignis
• Neofiber
  • †Neofiber alleni – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Neofiber leonardi
• Neotoma
  • 

    Close-up of a Neotoma floridana, or eastern woodrat
    †Neotoma floridana
  • †Neotoma spelaea
• Nerodia
  • †Nerodia sipedon
• Notophthalmus
  • †Notophthalmus viridescens
• Ochotona
• †Ochotone
• Odocoileus
  • †Odocoileus virginianus
• †Ondarta
  • †Ondarta ziebethicus
• Ondatra
  • †Ondatra annectens
  • †Ondatra zibethicus
• Opheodrys
  • †Opheodrys vernalis
• Panthera
  • 

    A living Panthera onca, or jaguar
    †Panthera onca
• †Parascalopis
  • †Parascalopis breweri
• Parascalops
  • †Parascalops breweri
• †Parascalopuis
  • †Parascalopuis breweri
• Pekania
  • †Pekania pennanti
• Peromyscus
  • †Peromyscus cumberlandensis
  • †Peromyscus maniculatus – or unidentified comparable form
• Phenacomys
  • †Phenacomys brachyodus
  • †Phenacomys intermedis
  • †Phenacomys intermedius
• Pipistrellus
  • †Pipistrellus subflavus
• Pitymys
  • †Pitymys cumberlandensis
• 

  Restoration of a herd of alarmed Miocene-Pleistocene peccaries of the genus Platygonus. Charles R. Knight (1922).
  †Platygonus
  • †Platygonus compressus
  • †Platygonus vetus
• Plecotus
• †Plesiothomomys
• Procyon
  • †Procyon lotor
• †Rana
  • †Rana catesbeina
  • †Rana clamitans
  • †Rana pipiens
  • †Rana sylvatica
• Rangifer
  • 

    A living Rangifer tarandus, or reindeer
    †Rangifer tarandus
• Salamandra
  • †Salamandra opaca
• Sceloporus
  • †Sceloporus undulatus
• Sciuropterus
  • †Sciuropterus volans
• Sciurus
  • †Sciurus carolinensis – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Sciurus carolinensus
  • †Sciurus corolinensis
• Sistrurus
  • †Sistrurus catenatus
• 

  Life restoration of the Pleistocene-Holocene saber-tooth cat Smilodon
  †Smilodon
  • †Smilodon fatalis
  • †Smilodon gracilis
• Sorex
  • †Sorex arcticus
  • †Sorex cinereus
  • †Sorex cinerus
  • †Sorex dispar
  • †Sorex fumeus
  • †Sorex hoyi
  • †Sorex palustris
• Spermophilus
  • †Spermophilus tridecemlineatus
• Spilogale
  • 

    A living Spilogale putorius, or eastern spotted skunk
    †Spilogale putorius – or unidentified comparable form
• Storeria
• Sylvilagus
• †Sylvilegus – or unidentified comparable form
• Synaptomys
  • †Synaptomys cooperi
• Tadarida
  • †Tadarida brasiliensis – or unidentified comparable form
• Tamias
  • †Tamias striatus
• Tamiasciurus
  • †Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
• †Tamies
  • †Tamies striatus
• 

  A living Tapirus, or tapir
  Tapirus
• Taxidea
  • †Taxidea taxus
• Thamnophis
• Thomomys
  • †Thomomys potomacensis
• Urocyon
  • †Urocyon cinereoargenteus
• Ursus
  • †Ursus americanus
• Vulpes
  • 

    A living Vulpes vulpes, or red fox
    †Vulpes vulpes
• Zapus
  • †Zapus hudsonius